Agenda
by jschaw
Summary: Someone decides they want Don's life, what will they do to get it and will his team realize it. Chapter 9 up finally. I apologize for the delay, life has been crazy!
1. Crime Scene or Not?

Don Eppes was awakened by the shrill ringing of his phone. He blinked his eyes open and squinted carefully at the clock. It was three in the morning and he sighed. He knew that whatever the news was on the other end of the phone meant that his sleep was over. He groaned and picked up his phone.

"Eppes."

"Don, it's David. We have a crime scene we need you at. East side of LA near the corner of 33rd and Broad."

"I'm on my way." Don quickly dressed, grabbed his gun and badge, and wished that he had time to make coffee. He locked his door, climbed into his vehicle, hit his lights and made the drive to the address in thirty minutes. The warehouse that resided on that corner was deserted. That was Don's first impression. No other police cars or FBI vehicles or agents.

"What the.." Don was about to get out and look around when his phone rang. Checking the caller ID he found that it was Megan.

"Yea?"

"What is the deal, Don? You wake me up after precious few hours of sleep and send me to an empty field with no one else around. There certainly isn't a crime scene here!"

"Whoa! Megan slow down! I'm over by 33rd and Broad. David called me about half an hour ago, said there was a crime scene here. There isn't." There was a long pause before Megan spoke again.

"I'm calling the others. You didn't call me, but it certainly sounded like you. Meet you at the office." Don disconnected the call and headed toward headquarters. He was tired, confused, and in desperate need of coffee.

When he arrived at FBI headquarters he noted that Megan's car was already there as was David's and Colby's. He briefly wondered how they had gotten there so fast, but then pushed into the building and headed toward their bullpen. He found his other team members in the small kitchen area and moved to join them. Megan looked up at him with tired eyes as David handed him a coffee mug.

"Good morning."

"There's nothing good about this morning." Was Don's irritable reply. They slowly made their ways into their work areas. Megan's mouth quirked briefly at Don's statement.

"True. Turns out that David and Colby were also called to crime scenes that don't exist. By you Don."

"But it wasn't me."

"It was someone who sounded exactly like you." Don let his eyes close briefly. He was getting a headache.

"So we've got someone that sounds like me- calling very early in the morning that sends you to three different locations-with no crime scenes. Someone that sounds like David calls me and sends me to a non existent crime scene. Where does that put us?" Don spoke to the room at large, he wanted sleep.

"A long day at the office instead of at a crime scene?" Colby offered with a wan smile. Don looked at his three teammates.

"What a way to start the day. I need more coffee." Don moved to go get it as Megan, David, and Colby sat trying to wake up a little more before starting a long day trying to figure out what was going on.

**A/N Kind of a short chapter. Next ones will be longer.**


	2. LifeStealer

With precious little to go on besides the phone calls Don and his team found their day occupied with their current financial fraud case-which soon produced a suspect when Charlie showed up at the office with some numbers he had run. He also had a reminder for Don.

"Remember Dad and I are leaving tommorrow. You're on your own for two weeks." Don stared at him blankly for a minute before it clicked. CalSci had just finished spring term and Charlie was not teaching any summer classes this year so he and Alan had decided to fly back east and take in some sights and a math conference. Charlie had asked Don to come along but Don had declined-citing work. Plus, he had wanted his Dad and Charlie to have the time together alone. Things had been rocky between them lately and Don hoped the trip would help to smooth things over.

"That's right. You and Dad have a good trip." Charlie just rolled his eyes at Don, shouted goodbye to the rest of his team and headed home to start packing. Don sighed and turned back to his report. After an hour he was done and was the first one done. That meant he was the first one to leave.

"Catch you guys later. I'm going home and to bed." Don ignored the groans from his team and headed out the door.

"How is it that he is the team leader and the first one out the door?" Asked Colby.

"Because he knows how to write his reports efficiently. Oh, look, so do I. Catch you guys later." Megan turned her report in to Don's desk, gathered her stuff and finally left about twenty minutes later after teasing David and Colby some more. David finished up a few minutes later leaving Colby by himself.

Colby sighed. He was only halfway done with his report. He hated paperwork. After another twenty minutes Colby was finally done and dropped it on Don's desk next to Megan's.

"Finally." He left, took the elevator and walked out into the parking lot. As he was nearly to his car his eyes automatically scanned the rest of the parking lot and he stopped, surprised. Don was standing next to his SUV across the parkinglot from Colby and his car.

"Don? I thought you were heading home?" Colby took a few steps toward his leader, puzzled.

"Hmmm? Oh just making sure you make it to your car o.k. Granger. Good night." Don climbed into his SUV and watched Colby climb into his car. Colby was shaking his head.

"Man. I think he really needs sleep. He's going nuts." Colby thought to himself as he drove off toward his apartment.

He watched Colby as he drove away. He smiled and put his SUV into gear. He drove to his apartment and quietly unlocked the door and turned on the lights. He prowled into his living room and looked at the face in the photo that was enlarged on the wall. He glanced at the sheets he had spread out on the table. The information. He had studied his habits, his coworkers. He had adjusted his appearance.

He called himself a Life-Stealer. He studied the life he wanted-the person he would become. He had practiced his voice, his habits. He had fooled his three agents this morning with the phone calls. He had waited in the parking lot for his team as they had come out-each on had thought it was him. His family was out of town. He smiled. It was time.

He had decided the next life he was going to steal. he was going to take him-keep him trapped and he was going to take over his life. The life of an FBI agent-strong and confident- he would not have to move on again. He wouldn't have to steal anymore lives. He would be-forever Special Agent Don Eppes-Federal Agent, brother, and son.

He knew his new family was out of town. He would make his move tonight. He would take Don and then take over his life. He picked up the necessary items he would need and left the apartment he had been leasing while he had studied him. This time tomorrow he would be Don Eppes. The life he wanted. It was finally within reach.

He drove quickly to Don's apartment building, entered quietly and stopped at the door that he knew to be the door to his apartment. He slid a small device underneath the door and listened. The device told the Life-Stealer that Don was asleep, probably in his living room since the sounds weren't too muted. He quietly picked the lock and brought a rag and a small bottle out of his bag.

Don had been so tired he didn't even stir as the Life-Stealer made his way over to Don and placed the rag over his mouth and nose. He held it in place for several seconds before he was satisfied his victim was in a drug-induced slumber. He quietly lifted Don and gently left the apartment and laid him in the back of his SUV. He retrieved Don's keys, watch, and badge and then drove him to a pre-arranged location.

With only a little difficulty the Life-Stealer deposited him into a stell barred cage against a wall that had a door that lead into a tiny bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower. This cage had been designed specifically by the Life-Stealer for Don. the Life-Stealer gently laid him on the bed in the cage. He covered him with a blanket. He left a note for Don on the table in the cage that held some bread, fruit, and water on a small table and lcoked the door of the cage.

A flick of the switch on the far wall by the door sent electricity humming through the bars on the cage. The Life-Stealer then left the building, took the "borrowed" SUV back to where he had gotten it and then walked back to his apartment. He prepared himself for bed, tossed the back into the back of his closet and took notice of his gun lying on the nightstand.

Life-Stealer was pleased. It had gone without a hitch. He settled himself in his bed and smiled as he drifted off to sleep. The real Don was safely tucked away and Life-Stealer had the life he had always wanted. He was excited, tomorrow would be his first day in his new life.

**A/N It's a long chapter. Thanks for sticking with it! Thanks for the reviews!**


	3. Captivity and a Forced Plan

Don sleepily blinked open his eyes. He must have been more tired than he had thought. He blinked his eyes a couple of more times to bring them into focus and stared. Bars? His apartment didn't have bars in it. Sitting up slowly he discovered he was in a cell of some sort.

"How did I get here?" For a brief moment he wondered if he had been so tired that he had gone, done something crazy adn alnded in jail. His tired brain took a nother half second to realize it wasn't a cell that he was in, but a cage. He focused his eyes on a litle table situated in the halfway point of the cage. There was some food on it and an envelope addressed to Don Eppes. As he reached for the note his ears picked up on a faint humming sound. He lookd around for the source of the humming and soon found out it was coming from the bars.

He reached for the note slowly and opened it with a sudden sense of foreboding. He sensed this was not going to be good for him. He briefly wondered how long it would take for someone to realize that he was missing. Surely when he did not show up for work someone would wonder where he was. When he read the note-however his heart sank. No one would realize he was missing. The note read:

**DON EPPES:**

**I CALL MYSELF A LIFE-STEALER. AS MY FORMER NAME SUGGESTS I STOLE THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE. HOWEVER, NOW I HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT LIFE. IT IS THE LIFE I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED. YOURS. YOUR TEAM-YOUR FAMILY WILL AL THINK I AM YOU. OH-AND JUST IN CASE YOU WERE THINKING OF ESCAPING-DON'T. THE BARS HAVE 50,000 VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY RUNNING THROUGH THEM. ENJOY YOURSELF. I'LL BRING DINNER LATER. UNTIL SUCH TIME-BEHAVE.**

**LIFE STEALER**

Don felt a rush of emotion run through him as he read the letter a second time through. He felt anger mostly. Then his world came crashing down as he realized this guy had probably already fooled his team. His team believed Don was still there. No one would be looking for him. Don strengthened his resolve before panic overtook him and he started screaming. He doubted anyone would hear his screams anyway.

He cast his eyes carefully around the cage he was in. He also glanced at the hole in the wall that he surmised was his bathroom. He saw no immediate way out. He settled himself back on his bed and began to think, hard. He had to get out of here somehow. There had to be away, and he would find it.

Life-Stealer woke up to the buzzing of his phone. He checked the caller ID and saw it was Megan. He smiled. How he was going to love his new, exciting life as Don Eppes. He opened his phone.

"Eppes." Life-Stealer got a visceral thrill out of saying his new last name. Oh, how he was going to love this!

"Hey, Don. Thanks to all our hard work on our last case the Director called and said we all have the next week off. Isn't it great?"

"Oh, yeah. Real great." Life-Stealer fought hard to keep his voice even.

"What are your plans?"

"Well, probably hang out in the apartment for a while, maybe hit the batting cages. Enjoying a week of no family around." Megan laughed.

"Have fun, Don. I'll see you next week at the office." Life-Stealer disconnected the call. How dare they? This was his first day as an FBI Agent and they tell him he has a week off? Oh, no. This would not do at all.

If the FBI was going to give him and his team a week off, he would simply have to create a situation that would ensure his team would be called in to investigate it. Life-Stealer smiled. The simple murderer of a fellow FBI agent should ensure that he and his team were called in. He retrieved the files on the FBI agents in Los Angeles and picked a victim. Agent Roger Billings. He worked in forensics. Life-Stealer had his home address. He had worked with Don and his team several times on cases.

Life Stealer grabbed what he would need and headed out of his apartment to ensure Agent Billings demise. He would make sure it could not be traced back to him. And he would make sure he and his team would be called in on it. Life-Stealer got excited again.

"Sorry, Agent Reeves. I don't want a week off just yet." He silently exited his apartment and headed toward the direction of Agent Billings home. Yes, sometimes to get the life you wanted, sacrifices became a necessary part of life.

**A/N For those of you who might have worried about Alan and Charlie not being in the story, don't! They will re-appear in the next chapter! **


	4. Beginning the Day

Life-Stealer pulled up outside Agent Billings home. He had called and hung up once the agent had answered. He was home and Life-Stealer was ready for action. He had what he needed to end the poor guys life. He drove his car and carefully parked it up the street. Then he walked back toward Billings home. He carefully tried the knob and had to fight from laughing. It was unlocked.

Life-Stealer entered the home and closed the door behind him. He wore gloves and had two necessary items with him. The murder weapon and the little note so he would be sure that he would be called. He left the note on the kitchen table in plain view, then lifted his knife and crept slowly up the stairs. A light was on in a room at the end of the hall and Life-Stealer could make out one voice. Male. His target.

"This is going to be almost too easy," he muttered gleefully to himself. He gently peered into the study. Agent Billings back was turned toward him. He was bent over a computer muttering to himself as he steadily typed and filled the screen in front of him. Gliding softly, Life-Stealer crept so he was behind the man and swiftly brought his knife down. He brought the knife down again, again, and again, until Agent Billings was a bloodied mass on the floor. Life-Stealer was satisfied. He would go back to his apartment and wait for the call telling him that they no longer had a week off. He crept quietly down the stairs and outside the house. Once he got to his SUV that he had parked down the street, he retrieved the file on Agent Billings, pulled a cigarratte lighter that he carried with him out and watched the file burn to ash and be scattered by the light breeze.

Megan awoke to the annoying sound of her cell phone ringing. She groaned into her pillow. She was tired and just wanted to sleep some more. But it looked like that was not going to happen. With a sigh she pushed herself up and reached for her phone.

"Reeves."

"It's David. We have a murder of an FBI Agent. We're wanted on the scene." Megan groaned, muttered something that sounded like, o.k. and forced herself up. Megan arrived to find David, Colby and Life-Stealer already there.

"What have we got?"

"Agent Billings. Stabbed brutally. A note was left which is why we are on the scene." Said David.

"Note?" Life-Stealer handed over the note sealed in a clear plastic bag. Megan accepted it and read it aloud.

"The FBI cannot stop me. Cute. So we've got a dead FBI agent and someone taunting us."

"Can you tell us anything else about the guy, Reeves?" Megan looked up sharply at the tone in Life-Stealer's voice.

"Sure, Don. The guy is violent. But a one line doesn't exactly give me a lot of profiling to do." Megan watched Life-Stealer turn and walk toward Colby who was coming out of the house. She shook her head and turned to David.

"What was that about?"

"I think he just needs more sleep." Replied David. "So much for our week off, eh?" Megan nodded and when they were done at the scene all four headed toward headquarters to try and figure this out. Megan was also trying to figure out about the sharp tone in Don's voice, she finally shrugged and chalked it up to lack of sleep.

"We estimate he was killed about an hour before we were called. The call came in from a nieghbor who heard strange noises. Police entered expecting a break-in, instead found him dead by his computer. Stabbed several times, not sure yet of the murder weapon. Looks to be a thin bladed knife." Said Colby as they were coming up the elevator into the bullpen. Life-Stealer nodded trying hard to hold back his excitement. He was finally in the FBI offices as Don, as the life he wanted, working on a case.

"Forensics should be back in a couple of hours, let's piece together this guys work and life, try and find a motive for murder." Life-Stealer kept his voice even, he had seen Agent Reeve's glance at the scene and knew he had to be very careful not to blow his cover.

A couple hours later they had the crime scene photos up, interviews with the neighbor had turned up nothing, except that she had heard thumping like noises and had been concerned because she knew her neighbor was quiet.

"Did you see anything after you heard the noise?" Asked Megan, who was questioning her.

"No. I'm sorry. No one leave, I had gone to the phone, I turned away from the window. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Thank you." Megan showed the neighbor, Miss Alan, out and joined Don.

"She didn't see anyone leave. We should go back in daylight, look for footprints anything he might have left us outside on the grounds." Life-Stealer nodded and dropped to his desk. So far, so good. His phone started ringing. He looked at the ID as he picked it up. Charlie.

"Eppes."

"Hey bro? Did I wake you?"

"No, Charlie. I'm at the office. We had a murder of an agent last night."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Called to tell you me and Dad landed fine and so far haven't killed each other yet." Life-Stealer laughed.

"Glad to hear it. Think you'll survive two weeks with him?"

"Yeah. We'll survive."

"Good. Look, I gotta go. Talk to you later okay?" There was a long pause before Charlie spoke again.

"Sure you're okay, Don?" Life-Stealer fought hard the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'm fine Charlie. Talk to you and Dad later okay?"

"Sure, Don. Bye." Charlie ended the phone call and Life-Stealer turned back to his desk. He blew out a quick breath. He had managed to fool Charlie. He allowed himself a small smile. His brother. He had a family. He forced his excitement down again and he and his team got back to work. He would be later than expected to bring Don his dinner and to talk to him about a few things, but his new work and life came first.


	5. A New Potential Victim

Don sighed. He had not been able to figure out a way out of this cage. He had eventually eaten the food this Life-Stealer or whatever he was had left for him. The quiet hum of the electricity humming through the bars was soothing which only served to aggravate him further.

"Frustrated, Donald?" Don froze. The voice was his. His voice! He turned and saw the weirdest thing he ever knew he would ever see in his life. Also the scariest. It was him, staring at him. Don's anger exploded.

"Frustrated?! Let me out of here and I'll show you frustrated! You can't possibly think you can pull this off? Sure you look like me, but you can't possibly fool my team or my family! Yeah, you'll never be able to fool my family! You hear me?! You won't!" Don knew he probably sounded like a little kid, but he didn't care. He was whining, he was mad, he was irritated that this Life-Stealer could just come in and take over his life. Life-Stealer laughed.

"You are so naive. So pitiful. I have taken your life. It's my life. I have fooled your team, we've been at a crime scene. And I talked to my brother, Charlie." Don lost all rational thought at that comment.

"He's my brother! You're not me! I'm me! Charlie's my brother!" Don wanted to strangle Life-Stealer. He actually reached to do so and his hand came into contact with the bars. He felt a jolt and then found himself sitting on the cold floor, cradling his hand that had been shocked.

"I take it you forgot your warning." Don just sat on the floor, staring dumbly at his hand. It hurt. He looked up and watched Life-Stealer drop a bag in through the bars near Don's feet.

"Your dinner. I'll come back later and we'll talk." Don sat on the floor and watched Life-Stealer leave. He felt like he was five and just before Life-Stealer left the room, shouted what he thought of him.

"Meanie!" Life-Stealer turned and laughed. Then left. Don thought about what Life-Stealer had said. He had fooled his brother. Charlie. Don wanted his brother. But no one was going to come looking for him. He looked at his hand. It was a little red, but didn't look too badly burned. He opened the sack and brought the food out. It was a thick sandwich, a bottle of water, a bottle of juice, and some apples and carrots. He ate the food, but saved the water and the apples for later. He placed them on the table then curled himself up on the bed.

His last thought as he slipped off to sleep was of his dad. He wanted his dad.

After his visit with Don, Life-Stealer drove back to the house. He saw Megan and David already there and went to join them.

"Anything helpful outside?" David turned.

"No. No footprints, it looks like he may have simply walked in the front door and stabbed Billings in his study." Life-Stealer nodded.

"No suspects, Billings was a quiet man. Not much of a social life. We have people digging into his past and his parents are on their way in from Texas," said Megan turning to Don.

"Where did you go by the way? If you don't mind me asking?"

"I do mind." Snapped Life-Stealer harshly. He stopped himself. "Sorry. It's just been a crappy day, you know?"

"Yeah, I've been living it with you," said Colby coming from around the back of the house. He was aware of Megan's penetrating gaze and knew he had to control himself. He couldn't let himself crack. He was Don after all. He wasn't going to screw this up. He smiled at Megan as he met her gaze.

He smiled inwardly. If she got too pushy, or guessed to close to the truth, he could always arrange her to be their next case. As they all made their way back to headquarters, Life-Stealer smiled. He found he kind of liked the idea. He pulled up and watched David, Colby, and Megan head into the building ahead of him.

Megan would make the perfect victim. He and his team would be kept busy, and he could keep living his dream as an FBI Agent. He almost laughed. If Megan died, his family would come home and he could be with them for the very first time.


	6. A Few Details and Fighting Guilt

At first, Don got mad. He ate what his double had provided for his "dinner" and then set about to try and find some kind of weakness in his prison. His tour of the bathroom wasn't helpful and neither was the cage with it's electricity humming through it. He briefly thought of reaching through the bars and seeing if he could somehow break the lock, but the memory of the nasty shock he had recieved made him quickly reject the idea.

"I see you ate, good." Don turned and faced this person parading around like he was him with pure hatred in his eyes.

"Like you care," he muttered, pacing in his prison.

"Oh, but I do care. I need you alive. I need information from you and you are going to give it to me, before I go plan out my next attack." Don watched Life-Stealer pull his gun out of his holster and point in resolutely at Don.

"Sit." It was a command and one that Don knew to obey. He settled himself on the cot and watched Life-Stealer take a seat on a stool on the oustide of the cage. Don sat and warily watched Life-Stealer pull up a chair next to the outside of the cage.

"Now I'm going to tell you some stuff about me, and then you are going to tell me stuff about you. If you aren't satisfactory in providing information, I will persuade you to be so. Are we clear what is going to happen?" Don nodded, his brain working fast. If he could somehow slip Life-Stealer some kind of information that only someone on his team would recognize, something to make them realize that the Don that was leading them wasn't him. He also realized with a sinking heart that as soon as Life-Stealer had enough information about him, he would probably kill him because he recognized that Life-Stealer wanted his life. He took a deep breath as he watched Life-Stealer seem to gather his thoughts.

"To begin with I always knew I was different. I wanted what wasn't mine from the first time I can remember. I stole my first life when I was eleven. I watched my best friend, his name was Daniel Stevens. I watched how he moved, how he acted with his family. I killed my family and being so traumatizing for me, the Stevens let me live with them. I killed their son and copied his appearance. They never suspected." Don was listening to this tale with growing horror.

"They never suspected that you weren't their son. Surely they must have been suspicious." Life-Stealer shook his head.

"I told you. I've never been normal. I'm good. My second life I took when I was fourteen. I had to condition myself. He was an athlete. My name became his. Brad Woods. His dad was an FBI Agent. I watched my dad, Agent Woods. I knew then I had to find that for me. I have been searching since then for the perfect agent. I first saw you at Quantico. I was out there visiting with my father. Such a young, eager recruit." Don shuddered inwardly.

"You've been watching me that long?"

"Studying you, Agent Eppes. So I can become you and live my dream. And look, I am. Now tell me about my relationship with my brother." Don felt his rage again and stood up.

"He's my brother!"

"Sit down. Now I am anxious to meet them, so I am going to arrange for them to come home."

"They're on vacation. They won't come home, unless a tragedy..." Don trailed off as what he said hit home in his brain. "What are you planning, Life-Stealer?!"

"Please, you can call me Brad now. And I think that if a member of your team were to be tragically murdered that would make them come home wouldn't it? To be there for me, to comfort me. Such a pity though, Agent Reeves is such a competent agent. But she's guessing things about me." Don's face had drained of color as he listened to Brad speak.

"No! I won't let you kill anyone on my team! I'll find a way to stop you!" Brad laughed then and Don's legs gave out on him and he sat back hard.

"How? You are on the other side of the bars. Well I 've got to run. I have a murder to plan and sleep to get, since I'm such a busy agent now. Good Evening, Donald." Don watched Brad leave and felt so many emotions they began to overwhelm him. Anger, disbelief, and a gut wrenching fear on Megan's behalf. He once again began to prowl around his cage and bathroom. So help him, he was going to find a way to get out of this cage.

Megan had waited until Don, Colby, and David had left. She was beginning to feel guilty about what she was going to do, but she had to do something.

"He could kill me if he finds out I"m doing this, but he's been acting so strange, I've got to. I need to know." She gathered her courage and carefully made her way to her boss's desk. She soon found what she was looking for. Three clear fingerprints on the glass top of the desk. She shook her head. She was about to run her boss's fingerprints through their database. She gathered the materials she would need and lifted the fingerprints, then straightened the desk and headed down towards the forensics section of the FBI building. She had to know what was going on. She smiled grimly as she handed the fingerprints over to the technician. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what she found. She settled in for the wait as the technician began loading the fingerprints so they could be run through the database.


	7. Reunited with Loved Ones

**A/N: From this chapter forward, Life-Stealer will be called Brad. Hope no one will be confused!**

The phone ringing startled Megan from her thoughts. She reached for her cell phone and answered.

"Reeves."

"Hey, it's Don. What have we got from the crime scene?"

"David and Colby went back to help process it with some others. I had some stuff to take care of here at the office." Megan looked up as she saw the technician coming back toward her with a paper in her hands.

"I want to meet with you later and discuss the case okay? Can you look at Billing's file and build me a rough profile?"

"Sure things. Give me a couple of hours to put it together."

"Sure. And I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. Just the strain of things, you know?"

"Sure thing, Boss. I've got to go. I'll call you when I've built a profile on Billings."

"Thanks, Reeves." Megan ended the phone call with Don and walked over to where the technician had been waiting patiently for her to end the call.

"Here you go, Agent Reeves."

"Thanks." Megan took the paper that the technician handed her and with a sense of trepidation turned it over. Then she laughed at herself. She was staring at her bosses picture. She shook her head.

"Whose fingerprints would they be, Reeves? Come on, let's go build the profile and forget I'm talking to myself." Once back at her desk, Megan shredded the picture and then turned and began accessing Agent Billing's file to start building a profile.

Brad was at his apartment, pacing. He was trying to decide how to kill Megan. He wanted to meet his family! He knew no one would suspect him of killing her. Brad smiled. Then his family would come home! His cell phone ringing startled him briefly but he picked it up and smiled when he saw Charlie displayed on the caller ID.

"Eppes."

"Hey Don. D-did I wake you?"

"No, buddy. I'm still awake. You okay? You don't sound so good." Brad's forehead wrinkled in genuine concern for his new brother.

"Well, um, can you pick me and Dad up tommorrow at the airport? "

"You're not supposed to be home for another couple weeks, Charlie! What happened?"

"Well, I..." Charlie was cut off and Brad heard a brief struggle taking place before his dad's voice came on the phone.

"Donnie! You're brother here sprained his anke tripping up some stairs. Doc says it'll be o.k. but we decided it would be easier for him to recuperate at home. Can you pick us up, our flight will be in tomorrow at eleven a.m."

"Charlie fell up stairs?"

"Wasn't paying attention. I'll let him tell you the full story. So are you busy, or can you pick us up?"

"Well, I have a new case, but I can make time to pick you and the invalid up."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Dad." Brad hung up the phone and nearly whooped out loud. He felt the excitement coursing through his veins. His dad and Charlie were coming home tomorrow! He smiled softly.

"Well, Agent Reeves. Looks like I don't have to kill you quite, yet. But you guess to close to the truth, then I still might." Brad disappeared into his room and called Megan one more time to tell her what had happened. Then he settled down to try and sleep. He was going to see his family tomorrow! He couldn't wait.

Colby and David were sweeping through the late Agent Billings house. He had been stabbed and it had been almost two days and there was still no idea who had done it. It had been a brutal stabbing.

"What has been up with Don lately?" Colby suddenly asked looking at David as they bagged some of the items from the study. David shrugged.

"Who knows, man. Pressure from higher ups in the office? A new case like this one? Who knows man. But he sure has been on a tight fuse."

"I'll say. And where do you think he went when he left the office?"

"Maybe to meet Billings parents and tell them personally. He said it helps if the agent delivers it with a personal touch sometimes."

"He's talked to parents of a dead agent before?" Colby was amazed, he didn't know that, but he did know it was a tough thing to do, he had seen some of it happen in Afghanistan.

"Yeah. When I first started working for him. Bank robbery that went south. Charm School Boys."

"I remember reading about that case. Well, looks like now we get to wait on forensics." David nodded and they went back to work.

Don was beyond frustrated. He had been unable to find a way out of the cage. He was scared. He had finally admitted to himself that yes, he was scared. No one knew he was missing. His thoughts drifted to Brad. What kind of monster could do this? A shudder ran through him. Brad had been watching him.

At Quantico, at Albuquerque, how could he not have noticed? Maybe he wasn't quite up to par as an FBI agent as he thought. He was also terrified. Terrified for Megan, for all his team and for his dad and brother. Would they suspect it wasn't him? He didn't know if he wanted them to or not. He jerked his head up as he heard Brad enter. He stood facing the bars. He knew he would never get used to watching himself coming towards him.

"Well, Eppes. Just thougth you might rest a little easier. Agent Reeves has gotten a reprieve from dying?"

"How?" Don's voice was a whisper.

"Because Charlie called. He sprained his ankle and he and dad are coming home tomorrow. I'm picking them up at the airport! I can't wait. I just came to bring you your breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. I might come back tomorrow night, it depends." He tossed two sacks through the bars and then left the room again.

Don scooped up the sacks and dumped them numbly on the table. He settled himself onto his cot, laying on his stomach with his head pillowed on his arms.

"Oh, Charlie. Dad. I miss you guys so much, and you won't even know I'm gone. That monster is me. Oh help me, oh someone help me." Don's whispering faded to be replaced with whimpers, then sobs. For the first time since this ordeal began he let himself cry. He wanted his dad and his brother. He wanted his life back, and Don knew that if Brad didn't mess anything up, he was never going to see them again. Don knew tomorrow he would be focused and determined again. But for tonight, he let himself long for his family. And he let himself cry, because he was the only witness to his pain.

Brad paced the airport excitedly. Dad and Charlie should be coming out soon. Their plane had just landed and passengers were disembarking. He forced himself to calm down and become Don. Brad did it just in time as he heard his name called.

"Don! Over here!" Brad smiled and made his way over to where his father was helping his brother manuever crutches.

"Hey Dad. Charlie? How was the flight? Sorry your trip had to end so soon."

"It's o.k. Flight was fine, but your brother here is a bit grumpy." Brad turned amused eyes toward Charlie.

"Grumpy because your trip got cut short, or that you're still going to have to carry your bags?" Charlie shot a death look at Brad.

"Can we not fight right now, boys?" Pleaded Alan. Brad rolled his eyes at Charlie.

"Okay I'll get Chuck's bags for him. Once only though." Brad smiled at Charlie's indignant noise that he made at being called Chuck. They collected their bags and Brad helped Alan load his and Charlie's luggage and then helped Charlie into the backseat. Alan got into the passenger side and Brad drove. He was having trouble containing his excitement, but he knew he had to. His family was home and that made Brad happy.

They made the drive to Charlie's home and they all went inside. Brad deposited Charlie's bags into his room then made his way into the living room. Charlie was seated on the couch with his ankle propped up. Brad took a seat next to Charlie while their dad quickly made some sandwiches and brought them out. Brad accepted a sandwich then watched Alan settle himself in his chair.

"Tell me this, Charlie? How did you fall up the stairs?" Charlie looked embarrased as Alan started laughing. Brad couldn't help but laugh with him. Charlie started his story and Brad reveled in being with his family for the first time. He looked around him and smiled. He was finally home where he belonged. And he was going to enjoy it.


	8. Dreams

Shortly after the telling of the story, Don had left back to work and Alan had disappeared up the stairs to do his unpacking. Charlie sat on the couch. When Alan had finished he returned and saw his son staring off into space.

"Charlie! Charlie!" Charlie finally started and his eyes focused on his dad.

"Huh?" Alan rolled his eyes.

"What were you thinking?" Charlie shrugged, looking a little sheepish.

"Don. He seemed kind of off," he said hesitantly, shifting his sprained ankle gingerly to the floor so he could sit up.

"Off?"

"It's stupid! I know it, but he didn't seem like Don." Alan chuckled.

"I think you pain meds are getting to you. It's Don, I know my son, I know both of my sons thank you very much. And I know this son needs to lie back down and get some rest." Alan stood up and made Charlie lie down, then he disappeared upstairs to get some rest in himself.

Charlie laid on the couch, thinking. He knew his dad was right. It was his brother, but he couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. He finally felt himself drifting back off to sleep. His eyes slipped shut and he began to dream...

_He was walking down a hallway at CalSci. He was going to give a lecture. He entered the classroom, it was dark and something wasn't right. His students were all gone. No one was there...wait, there were two figures both sitting on the front row both on opposite sides of each other. From the back they looked the same. He walked down between the desks to begin setting up for his lecture. He turned to face the two students in the room and felt himself freeze. On his right, sat his brother, Don. But on his left was Don as well. He addressed the Don on the right._

_"What's going on here? Th-there can't be two of you?"_

_"Don't be silly Chuck! Of course there isn't two of me. I don't know who that guy is!" Don that was sitting on the right snapped irritably. _

_"Charlie, it's okay. There is two of us. He isn't me. Don't be afraid to feel. This is me, Charlie right here." Left Don suddenly had tears in his eyes. "I love you Charlie. No matter what happens, remember that. Remember to feel." _

_"Shut up, Imposter!" Charlie jumped as the right Don suddenly jumped to his feet, face contorted in rage. He turned cool eyes to Charlie and he recoiled at the pure emptiness inside his eyes. "He's not me, Charlie! I'm your brother! I am! I am going to get rid of the imposter." Charlie backed into the chalkboard as he watched the Right Don suddenly turn and walk to the Left Don, who was sitting silent in the chair watching. He looked at Charlie, tears had begun to drop down his face, his hands were bound in front of him. Charlie focused on his eyes. His eyes were so full of love, Charlie could feel it emenating from him. Left Don started to say something, "Charlie? Charlie? _Charlie!"

Charlie started from his dream at the sound of his dad's voice.

"Huh?" His dad was sitting next to him on the couch.

"You okay?" Charlie focused his bleary eyes on his dad.

"Having a dream. There was two of Don, it didn't make sense, Dad." Alan chuckled.

"No it wouldn't make sense. Don't give me more trouble by adding another son. You two give me enough trouble as it is." Charlie nodded and stood up reaching for his crutches. He made his way out of the living room and slowly made his way out to the garage. He perched himself on a stool and sat, thinking about his bizarre dream. His thoughts abruptly shifted to Don and how he had acted when he had come and picked them up.

"That's not Don. But it is. But.." Charlie broke off his thoughts, though they were beggining to swirl at an alarming rate. He stopped a short laugh from bursting from his mouth. He didn't think his brother was his brother. He was going crazy. Still muttering to himself, Charlie adjusted his stool to be within easy reach of his blackboards and then searched for the familiar comfort of his chalk and his math.

Brad walked into the bullpen and headed straight for the conference room where he could see Megan, David, and Colby all sitting and talking. Colby turned as Brad walked in.

"Hey Don."

"Did we find anything useful at the house?"

"Whoever did it is good. We didn't find much evidence at all. The evidence we did find isn't enough to pinpoint us in a particular direction." Replied Megan, meeting and holding Brad's gaze for a long moment. Brad nodded.

"We are still looking into Agent Billing's background, but so far nothing unusual has come up. If we don't come up with a lead soon, we may have to close the case. By the way I understand you had to pick up your dad and Charlie today? Maybe we could have Charlie look at it.." Megan was cut off when Brad interrupted.

"NO!" Brad started to panic at the thought of having to share his brother with them so soon. "No, his ankle is pretty swollen and sore and he's been on medication. Well I have to go run an update up to the higher ups and let them know we might have to close it." Brad quickly left and headed toward his desk, barely keeping his rage in check. He knew he would have to let Charlie consult for them again soon, but right now he wasn't willing to share him with anyone.

Megan, David, and Colby all sat blinking at each other as Brad stormed out of the conference room.

"Well maybe that does answer your question, Colby." Said David as they all looked at each other. "Maybe the assistant director is putting pressure on him." Megan's eyes had narrowed.

"I'll be back guys." David and Colby exchanged a glance. Megan's eyes were on Brad as he sat at his desk, then stood preparing to leave.

"Where are you going." She turned and flashed David and Colby a smile.

"Home." With that Megan left and headed toward her desk. Once Brad had entered the elevator, David and Colby watched Megan bolt for the stairs, looking like a woman on a mission.

"Is she going to follow Don home?" Colby turned to David.

"No idea, man. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." After a few minutes Colby and David went back to work.


	9. Discoveries

**A/N: So sorry for the long delay. I have had a number of things come up that hit at once and hit hard. But I will begin updating this as regularly as possible! Thanks for reading.**

Megan really wondered what on earth had gotten into her as she waited in her car, trying to catch her breath. She had left David and Colby staring at her, but something was nagging at her.

Something wasn't right with her boss. She just couldn't put her finger on what, so she had decided to follow him home.

She watched Brad come out to his car a few minutes later and put it into gear. She slipped a few cars behind him in traffic and followed him. She prayed he wouldn't notice, it would not do to to be caught following her boss if Brad noticed. She frowned when he didn't head off the exit toward Pasadena and Charlie's house but continued on to a different exit towards the outskirts of Los Angeles.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" She muttered to herself. She backed off as traffic became sparse and she knew she didn't want him to see her and have to explain what she was doing.

It would probably earn herself as suspension.

Brad exited his SUV carrying a paper sack and disappeared toward the building and inside. Megan waited for ten minutes, and when he did not reappear right away she slipped from her car and carefully made her way across the street. She reached Brad's SUV and peered inside, nothing appeared to be out of place. She jogged toward the building and a low window on the side of the building away from the door.

"Just do it, Reeves. Just look." She chided herself. For a half moment she wondered if her boss was involved in some sort of illegal activity, but dismissed it just as quickly. Don was a cut and dried FBI agent, only bending the rules when he really needed something to happen, like when she had been kidnapped. She had heard vague reports but wasn't really interested. Besides, she thought, Alan would kill Don if he were doing anything really illegal anyway. When she looked in the window what she saw made her eyes go wide and her heart start racing.

She had to blink several time to assure herself of what she was seeing and then she still wasn't even sure what she was seeing. There were two Don's! One in a cage, looking utterly dejected as the other one stood oustide the cage saying something to the one inside the cage. As she watched the Don on the outside laughed as he said something to Don on the inside of the cage. The Don on the inside, whom she was slowly becoming convinced was her real boss leapt to his feet, his face contorted in a rage that she had never believed her boss would ever show. He was screaming but she couldn't make out anything.

After a few minutes his screaming died out but he grabbed on the bars and suddenly jerked back and landed hard. His screaming had stopped and he looked up silently at the other Don, he seemed to be pleading for something. Desperate to hear, she hurried around to the door and carefully cracked it open.

Voices filtered out to her.

"...knows to much...might suspect...have to get rid of her..."

"I won't let you...find a way to stop...will suspect you're not...say you are!"

The voices dropped a bit and Megan slid to a sitting position and risked poking her head in the door, her hand tightening on her service weapon. She could see Don in the cage, but not the imposter. She prayed that Don would turn his head toward her, so she could replace some of that utter dejection in his eyes with some hope. She didn't have to wait long, Don's eyes met hers. His years of interrogating people paid off as he did not make any indication that he had seen her as he listened to what the other Don had to say. She saw the request in his eyes, leave.

She shook her head and it instensified. His eyes were red-rimmed and haunted. Suddenly Brad turned toward the door as he noticed Don's attention sway subtly toward it again. Megan barely had time to leap for her feet and start heading for her car. Her one had tightened on her weapon, her other hand went for her cell. She frantically hit the speed dial for David cursing herself for not calling them the minute she had looked in that damned window.

"David it's me! Don isn't Don! He's been...," She was cut off as she was tackled from behind, her phone and gun flying from her hands. She turned and put up the fight of her life, but soon saw herself staring down the wrong end of a gun. Crystal Hoyle flashed briefly through her thoughts as she stopped her struggle.

"Get up, now!" She complied, staring at this lookalike of Don's who wasn't Don. She could see his eyes, they were devoid of any warmth that she knew would be in the real Don's eyes.

"Who are you?" She asked. She didn't get an answer except to have Brad move around her and poke her in the back with the gun. Understanding she walked back into the warehouse and locked eyes with her boss. She cringed. He looked haunted as he watched her brought in, helpless, almost child-like.

"Get away from the cage door Eppes, or she dies." She flinched at the sound of Brad's voice. As Don stepped away from the door, She was ushered into the cage and she heard the door click behind her and electricity hum once again through bars.


End file.
